The NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has described an upper house inquiry into ministerial standards as a 'Labor witch hunt'.

News Online Brisbane

The New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell has described an upper house inquiry into ministerial standards as a Labor witch hunt and says Pru Goward will not appear before it.

An upper house inquiry into ministerial standards is looking into the controversy over caseworker numbers.

It is examining the position of Family and Community Services Minister Pru Goward, who consistently maintained until August this year that there had been no change to numbers, which remained around the 2,000 figure.

But in budget estimates hearings it emerged there were actually 300 fewer employed than the figure being quoted.

Mr O'Farrell was today criticising lawyers and their clients for using a loophole to get around stricter 'right to silence' provisions.

"If people have nothing to hide they should be prepared to make full and open statements to the police," he said.

But when asked if that principle should also apply to his Family and Community Services minister Pru Goward who is facing questions about whether she misled parliament over caseworker numbers, he had a different response.

"I'm not going to subject ministers in the lower house to a Labor party witch hunt," he said.

Pru Goward has also dismissed the idea of appearing before the inquiry.